Tree-Lurkers & Scavengers
All characters and environments within is © 2002-2010 by Eben Prentzler
In case you missed the introductions....
[Intro](%5C)<---->[Next](%5C)
"It's a boy" were the first words that Haraka heard in the early hours of the morning. Being completely overjoyed with the happiness of becoming a father, he was stuck in a few moments of speechless stupor. His fellow members of the small group of leopard-beasts kept on congratulating him, but he could only respond in single word sentences.
The morning hours were dragging on and Haraka stood outside his small tree house, looking out over the darkened plains a calm stillness surrounded him. A gust of wind softly blew through the spotted fur of his body. The proud look on his face quickly evaporated and gave way to a very worried face. These were troubling times for the Tree-Lurker family group. It was questioned if this was the right time to bring a young one into the world.
A shiver went through his body when he felt a paw-like hand on his shoulder. Haraka turned around and saw a leopard-beast, like him, standing tall. Although it was still dark outside, he could see the outlines of his friend Thembo, who wasn't very well built, but the smartest of the group of Tree-Lurkers.
"What's wrong Haraka?" he asked. "You seem more worried than happy."
"Believe me Thembo," Haraka started, "I've never been so overjoyed before in my life. But you know what today is...Pay Day."
"Don't worry my friend. I'm sure that he'll be lenient."
"Lenient isn't in his vocabulary."
"We'll see what happens...hey, I have to get going. My mate is waiting." Thembo quickly jumped into the higher branches and headed to his own little tree house not to far off.
Haraka turned back to his original position and his thoughts got lost in the plains again. It felt like weeks before the sun finally rose above the horizon. The rays of light slipped over the entrance of Haraka's home. He walked in and saw his mate lying on the bed, exhausted from the early morning birth. Her eyes were closed, but she was holding her son protectively, wrapped in a warm cloth.
Haraka softly sat down on the bed next to his wife. He examined her strong face and gently rubbed his hand over her spotted forehead, waking her. "Morning Nunda," Haraka said, "my love."
"And a beautiful morning it is," she sighed happy, looking down at her child, "Did you get any sleep?"
"No, and by the looks of it, neither did you."
Nunda smirked, and looked into Haraka's eyes. "How did you guess?"
"Call it a hunch," he smiled.
An impatient look started to cloud Haraka's face, and Nunda quickly noticed it. "Okay," she started, "I won't keep you waiting any longer. You most likely want to see your son."
"You bet your sweet tail I want to see him."
She carefully unwrapped the warm blankets that hid Haraka's son. He was so tiny. There were no spots on the small cub as of yet and his eyes were still closed shut.
Haraka only looked on in awe. Shivers made the some of his hair prickle on his body. He was a father...the feeling to him was indescribable. "Oh Nunda, you did well. He has your looks"
"Funny," she replied, "I almost wanted to say that he looks like you."
Haraka looked away ashamed. "Oh please, who wants to look like me? I mean, who wants to suffer that fate?"
Nunda sighed and a frown appeared on her face. "Listen to me Haraka, I know that being a half-breed is hard, but you don't have to take it out on me."
"I'm sorry Nunda," Haraka apologised. This was not the right way to start the morning. "It was just joking around"
The frowns disappeared and a huge smiled took its place as Nunda started to giggle, "So was I."
It took a few seconds for Haraka to figure out that he had been tricked. "Why you little," he smiled and ruffled the fur on her head, "You got me."
"It's about time as well. You always get the better of me...well not this time"
Haraka rubbed his chin and looked closer at his son. He was rather worried that his son will get some appearances of his half-breed genes. Haraka's mother was a Streak-Face, one of the more rare species that inhabited the continent of Moyo. These cheetah man-beasts were loners that lived far to the southwest. Unfortunately Haraka also never knew his mother, since she died giving birth to him.
"Does he have any signs of another breed in him?" he asked worried. "I really hope that my Streak-Face genes didn't affect him."
"No," she answered, "He is a Tree-Lurker, through and through"
"I thank the gods for that. I would hate to see him being picked on by others, because of his appearance, like I was."
Nunda held her child with one arm, and rested her other arm on her mate's shoulder, trying to comfort him the best she could. "Don't be so hard on yourself dear, you only have the 'tear' marks of the Streak-Faces." She pointed out the dark marks on her husband's face that started at the corner of his eyes and ran down his cheeks.
Haraka got up from the bed and striked a running pose. "Don't forget the speed. I think that is the only upside I got from them," He smiled at his wife, who was approving his silliness. She wrapped her son back in the blankets, trying to keep him warm on this chilly autumn morning. "So what name are you going to give him?" she asked.
"You want me to name him," Haraka replied, very surprised. "Well, since he is a Tree-Lurker in body, heart and soul...I shall name him Ingwe."
Nunda's eyes grew big and she started to shake with fear.
"What is it," Haraka asked concerned, "Was it something I said?"
Haraka shuddered when he heard a familiar, yet evil voice coming from behind him. He then immediately knew what had frightened his mate so much.
"Well," the voice said, "Isn't this sweet...NOT!"
The leopard-man turned around and saw a stupid, yet smart looking hyena-man behind him. He was known as a Scavenger. He was shorter than Haraka, yet he had a big built around his chest, no one knew how their stubby legs could hold up their large upper body. Haraka was extremely scared of this particular, very dangerous creature. But he summoned all his courage and looked straight into its beady little eyes.
"Elyle!" Haraka said, baring his sharp teeth.
The fowl-smelling creature quickly got into Haraka's face. "The one and only," he said while closing Haraka's mouth with the tip of his fingers, "and don't bare your teeth at me kid. You know what Heriki..."
"Haraka."
"Whatever," Elyle waved off the correction, "I hate climbing trees, and I think it is time that you get a ladder for me."
Haraka swore under his breath. "Just tell me what you want."
Elyle walked around Haraka and headed towards the bed, where Nunda laid defenceless. "Oh, just what every ruler of a land wants...MY PAYMENT." He bared his teeth at Nunda.
Haraka quickly stepped in between Elyle and Nunda, he was trying his best to protect them, but all that replaced his bravery was fear, which made them cower in front of Scavenger, who now almost seemed to get bigger than them.
"Please forgive us Elyle," Haraka begged, "We have not yet had a chance to get your payment. My wife just gave birth this morning, and we have nothing for you."
"In the name of the gods," Nunda cried out, "Have mercy."
Elyle's face supplied the evil grin of content. He was enjoying every little bit their grovelling. "Your pleadings have not fallen upon a heart of stone," he said looking at the cub, "but you must be punished."
Haraka shook with anger. How could this evil creature threat his child's life? All he wanted to do was grab the closest blunt object and beat Elyle to death, but he knew that there would be serious consequences if he kills him now. And there was also the fear that he might lose his child if he made any stupid moves. He fell down to his knees and grovelled some more "Please no..."
"To 'bless' this birth, you will give us double the payment next week."
"But that would leave nothing for us!" Nunda countered.
"And you should have thought of that before you broke my laws," Elyle snapped back, "so let me put this as bluntly as possible. Either you pay me double next week, or your new born will be my starters...GET IT!"
Tears started to flow down Nunda's cheeks. "Yes Sir."
Haraka bowed his head in shame. "Yes Sir."
"Good."
Nunda and Haraka watched Elyle storm out of their home. A few seconds later they heard him scream and then there was a loud thud. "Damn you Haraka!" Elyle screamed from below.
A small smiled appeared on Haraka's face. "What a klutz. He falls every time. I thought he would have learned by now."
Nunda's attention wasn't on what happened outside, but rather on what would happen if they didn't meet Elyle's demands. More tears flowed from her eyes. "Oh Haraka," she started, "Why did we have to come to these cursed lands?"
"We had no choice," he said, holding her close. "We had no choice."
[Intro](%5C)<---->[Next](%5C)
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